Resellers are under pressure to sell their products in an extremely dynamic environment. Partner programs have become a strategy for technology companies to grow their reach to gain more market share, build better offerings with their products, and develop relationships with resellers.
Partner programs give resellers the ability to provide their technology customers the tools and resources to be successful while ensuring a win-win opportunity for both resellers and technology companies. In this article, we focus on the importance of partner programs for technology resellers and how they can provide avenues for growth and revenue.
What Are Partner Programs?
Partner programs are structured partnerships between tech companies, often in the form of reseller arrangements, that enable mutual benefits. Typically, partner programs provide resellers with tools and resources for sales, partner training and accreditation, marketing content and assets, and access to products exclusively available to partners. This creates a win-win scenario for technology and partner resellers to grow their sales and increase market share.
In general, technology companies will operate channel partner programs on a partner or channel management platform, where resellers can access their dashboard, sales tools, partner training and certifications, and additional rewards and incentives in a manageable, integrated environment. Partner programs provide a structured ecosystem for collaborating with the partner brand, enabling its resellers to properly sell their products.
Why Are Partner Programs Important for Technology Resellers?
A significant advantage of being part of a partner program is access to exclusive products and solutions that some technology companies will provide their partner resellers.
Technology companies will afford their partner resellers early or exclusive access to new products, product features, and product updates; thus, resellers can move ahead of their competitors by proposing exclusive products and solutions to their clients.
For example, a technology reseller participating in a channel partner program for a leading cloud computing company could maximize the sale of new cloud products with innovative features to their customers ahead of their competitors. This puts them ahead of the competition.
There are partner programs that offer thorough partner training or certifications associated with the products of the technology partner to ensure the partner reseller has the knowledge and skill set to sell and support the company's products.
The partner training and/ or accreditations would typically include completing all requirements for the technology partner's product suite, commencing with product installation and basic configuration through to troubleshooting support, and customer service.
Certified resellers with the knowledge and skills to develop credibility with their customers build trust and confidence. A well-trained sales team with a technology partner that gets trained and certified will likely close more deals because they will likely be better versed to address a customer's needs and enhance the value and benefits of the specific technology that is being sold.
In order to grow any business, marketing is crucial, and technology resellers are no exception. Partner programs give resellers the ability to co-market products with the brand, providing advertising opportunities as well as marketing material.
These marketing materials typically include, as examples, email templates, product sales brochures, case studies, and social media content that resellers can use to better market products.
Furthermore, many partner programs offer joint marketing funds for certain types of marketing activities, which also reduces all the marketing expectations on the reseller and enhances their ability to drive more business with less effort.
Many partner programs offer benefits and rewards designed to encourage resellers to increase their sales efforts. These can vary from discounts, rebates, and bonuses based on performance to all-expense paid trips. The more sales a reseller can generate, the better the benefits -- and this leads to greater growth.
In fact, not only do resellers who gain tier levels gain greater discounts or increase their profit margins on the products they are selling, but they are also incentivized to sell the company's solutions ahead of others. This dual incentive reinforces alignment between the technology provider and the reseller.
Many partner programs also provide resellers with dedicated account managers or a dedicated support team that can assist them with technical questions, sales inquiries, and business development. This means resellers have access to the support they need to succeed, without the hassle of navigating the general company support model.
If a reseller needs guidance on answering a technical question, assistance with closing a deal, or advice on entering a new geographic market, partner programs can provide that support.
How Partner Programs Benefit Tech Companies
While there is often a focus on how resellers benefit from partner programs, technology companies also receive great benefits. By providing support, companies get the opportunity to:
Companies like Redington Online become extensions of a technology company's sales and distribution arm — and help them achieve scale, loyalty, and profitability in the market by increasing reseller and partner engagement.
Elevate Your Business Through Partner Programs
In a changing technology landscape, partner programs produce value beyond business. For technology resellers joining a channel partner program can give them the space for them to thrive with new tools, resourcing, and support to successfully operate in a competitive marketplace.
These programs not only improve relationships, but encourage growth while ensuring that both resellers and technology providers reach win-win solutions. If you are a technology reseller pursuing ways to elevate your business, explore partner programs from some of the leading technology companies like Redington.
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